'Cock tease'

[TrickyBiscuits]

DH and I just been discussing this expression and I'm having difficulty explaining why I find it so repulsive.

My usually liberal and progressive DH has shocked me to be honest: he says that there are women who deliberately go out in skimpy outfits and act in a sexually provocative way only to later make it clear to a guy they were flirting with that sex absolutely isn't on the cards. I say they're perfectly entitled to do this, he agrees, but says in some women it's a form of deliberate manipulation, hence the derogative label being applied to them.

I think there are 2 main things which are pissing me off the most:

The phrase itself (it's actually 'virgin bitch' in his native language which I think is even worse) is so bloody dehumanizing. As if female behaviour should automatically be viewed through a penis-shaped lens.

And also, the spectrum of application is huge... where does dressing attractively and behaving in a flirty manner end (if that's even allowed ) and 'cock teasing' begin? it just seems to be a label to exert power.

Bloody hell I'm cross. I'm having difficulty articulating myself.

Any thoughts?

Yes, sure I agree with most of that Dervel.

But regarding "leading people on" I just don't think everyone can know at a very early stage in a new encounter/relationship where it might lead.
So, I just think it's a rather flawed concept.

Also people seem to have difficulty accepting flirtation as a natural and good/inevitable/harmless style of human interaction.

Lol @Buffy I see what you did there! ;-)

To be honest I used the leading people on statement more as a generality rather than specifically to do with sex, I've seen people lead each other on before emotionally. Now why don't we have a specific term for men who lead women on in order to get laid? In my opinion that is the greater sin.

Finally just to directly put this cock-tease nonsense to bed once and for all. I think the consensus of opinion is that a) Drinks do not mean sex b) there are so many reasons someone may not want sex or change their mind can't we just give people the benefit of the doubt?

c) Flirting isn't a promise of sex. Get over yourselves, bigheads.
d) No-one's entitled to sex, ever.

Would it be terribly churlish of me to enquire who appointed you as chair of this meeting, Dervel?

Why does everyone on here assume that the motivating factor for being taken in by one of these Women is sex??

Men get taken in for reasons of loneliness and (or) confidence issues. I'm sure a lot of these guys would be more interested in being the centre of attention then getting their leg over. As I said previously It's almost always this type who these Women target. You're right buying a Woman a drink isn't a sexual contract, but she should at least show him some common decency and not exploit the poor guy.

Sorry garlic I do have a tendency run away with myself and my own self importance. Apologies, what I should have said is that I take all this as a given, but this thread has been very interesting and I think thanks to buffy has caused me to approach the issue from a hitherto (at least by me) unexplored perspective which has really interesting ramifications I'm keen to explore. Again sorry for my rudeness.

That doesn't make them a 'cock-tease' Sunrising, which is what this thread is about. We aren't the ones doing the assuming btw. The men calling women cock-teases are doing the assuming.

:)

'I'm sure a lot of these guys would be more interested in being the centre of attention then getting their leg over.'

Sun, for a lot of men the two options are the same. 'If I'm the centre of attention, how can you not want to sleep with me?'
www.punchcartoons.com/images/M/1977.03.09.409.jpg

Eyes i concede that there are a lot of guys with this mentality.

Love the cartoon! :)

Apologies for going off at a tangent.

Is it rude to walk up to someone, ask them to buy you a drink then walk off?

Yes, that's quite rude. I don't think it's exploitative, but it's rude.

There is a sexual/social element to it though, it happens in bars and pubs with alcohol but would be extremely odd in a coffee bar.
Likewise odd for a man to ask a man, or a woman a woman unless they were looking for a connection.

thanks for mansplaining that dervel

I've seen people lead each other on before emotionally. Now why don't we have a specific term for men who lead women on in order to get laid?

We do have terms but, like all most critical terms for bad behaviour that is preponderantly male, they carry positive connotations. 'Player', for example. I find I'm more interested in the assumption that women have sex in order to secure a relationship. This is yet another 'gatekeeper' interpretation of women's sexuality, isn't it? I don't think young people see things this way so much any more, but there's still an enormous amount of culture to reinforce it.